Ali's Reviews > Speechless: A Graphic Novel

ARC read full review to follow. I read this one with my own MG reader who absolutely loved it and said they related related to the main character Mira. Can't get much better than that! Mira is a middle schooler who expresses herself by creating stop-motion animated movies, including her own custom-made doll actors and hilarious scripts. But there are many situations where she finds that she can't speak, including at school, and is eventually diagnosed with selective mutism. The Cleveland Clinic defines SM as an anxiety distorder where someone finds themself unable to speak in certain social situations. The story explores how Mira navigates bullying over her disability (including by her former bestie), makes new friends, and finds ways to express herself. It also really captured that feeling of being left out even when you're right in the middle of things because other people won't accept and include you just the way you are. I really appreciated that Mira's therapy sessions were included on the page and that her disability was illustrated as a dynamic condition that presents itself different in different situation. A comic-style author note describes the author's experience with selective mutism and bullying.